diff --git a/kwant/builder.py b/kwant/builder.py
index 93e7e2b8f5b3fed165dbd61312c6ba2e10723876..79934b76a841ed2a30909bab1ebef0d1540d338c 100644
--- a/kwant/builder.py
+++ b/kwant/builder.py
@@ -393,6 +393,8 @@ class NoSymmetry(Symmetry):
 class HoppingKind(tuple):
     """A pattern for matching hoppings.
 
+    An alias exists for this common name: ``kwant.HoppingKind``.
+
     A hopping ``(a, b)`` matches precisely when the site family of ``a`` equals
     `family_a` and that of ``b`` equals `family_b` and ``(a.tag - b.tag)`` is
     equal to `delta`.  In other words, the matching hoppings have the form:
@@ -714,6 +716,8 @@ def _site_ranges(sites):
 class Builder:
     """A tight binding system defined on a graph.
 
+    An alias exists for this common name: ``kwant.Builder``.
+
     This is one of the central types in Kwant.  It is used to construct tight
     binding systems in a flexible way.
 
diff --git a/kwant/lattice.py b/kwant/lattice.py
index 8cf0d6a20065339ee389de2eb7cc2cc23cad074e..e050552c76e1a7503d4058d08c3c0f32cc660c02 100644
--- a/kwant/lattice.py
+++ b/kwant/lattice.py
@@ -504,8 +504,9 @@ class Monatomic(builder.SiteFamily, Polyatomic):
 # point precision issues.
 
 class TranslationalSymmetry(builder.Symmetry):
-    """
-    A translational symmetry defined in real space.
+    """A translational symmetry defined in real space.
+
+    An alias exists for this common name: ``kwant.TranslationalSymmetry``.
 
     Group elements of this symmetry are integer tuples of appropriate length.
 
diff --git a/kwant/plotter.py b/kwant/plotter.py
index c6933789fcfa8fbd7e7c543d49c35f3b4285b919..abd9fe2cc2ba10a973f208d05e24ee440d759c64 100644
--- a/kwant/plotter.py
+++ b/kwant/plotter.py
@@ -1003,6 +1003,8 @@ def plot(sys, num_lead_cells=2, unit='nn',
          show=True, dpi=None, fig_size=None, ax=None):
     """Plot a system in 2 or 3 dimensions.
 
+    An alias exists for this common name: ``kwant.plot``.
+
     Parameters
     ----------
     sys : kwant.builder.Builder or kwant.system.FiniteSystem
diff --git a/kwant/solvers/common.py b/kwant/solvers/common.py
index fbe88b69219d71e4a68f828bf306b5ef2381864a..57c6fd35ec733165bd1aaf5ba04f0cfe6f598031 100644
--- a/kwant/solvers/common.py
+++ b/kwant/solvers/common.py
@@ -302,6 +302,8 @@ class SparseSolver(metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
         """
         Compute the scattering matrix of a system.
 
+        An alias exists for this common name: ``kwant.smatrix``.
+
         Parameters
         ----------
         sys : `kwant.system.FiniteSystem`
@@ -394,6 +396,8 @@ class SparseSolver(metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
         """
         Compute the retarded Green's function of the system between its leads.
 
+        An alias exists for this common name: ``kwant.greens_function``.
+
         Parameters
         ----------
         sys : `kwant.system.FiniteSystem`
@@ -489,6 +493,8 @@ class SparseSolver(metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
         """
         Calculate the local density of states of a system at a given energy.
 
+        An alias exists for this common name: ``kwant.ldos``.
+
         Parameters
         ----------
         sys : `kwant.system.FiniteSystem`
@@ -553,6 +559,8 @@ class SparseSolver(metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
         Return a callable object for the computation of the wave function
         inside the scattering region.
 
+        An alias exists for this common name: ``kwant.wave_function``.
+
         Parameters
         ----------
         sys : `kwant.system.FiniteSystem`